The Committee of Experts also publishes an annual General Survey, inwhich it examines the application of ILO standards, ratified or notratified, in a particular subject area. This year's General Surveydealing with labour inspection is above.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

The 2006 Report of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations is now available in the ILOLEX database above.

The Committee of Experts is an independent body composed of legal experts charged with examining the application of ILO Conventions and Recommendations in ILO member States. The annual report of the Committee of Experts contains observations related to the application of ILO standards in individual countries. The report is submitted to the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, a standingcommittee which meets annually at the June session of the International Labour Conference. At the Conference Committee, the ILO's constituents (governments, employers and workers) examine selected observations from the Committee of Experts' report, and the governments concerned are given an opportunity to provide further information.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Washington, DC- U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director Linda M. Springer today reiterated the Administration's strong support for reforming the civil service from a longevity-based system to one that rewards performance.

"We continue to believe the proposed Working for America Draft Act does an effective job of addressing a comprehensive set of challenges that exist in the current civil service system. Its labor reforms are less expansive than reforms previously enacted for the Departments of Homeland Security and Defense which have unique mission requirements.

"We are paying particular attention to the experience of the more than 90,000 Federal employees who are currently under alternative pay systems. This focus will allow us to continue to make the case for further civil service reform."

-end-_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES...._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

AbstractUsing Michigan Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) data, we study the slowdown in the convergence of female and male wages in the 1990s compared to the 1980s. We find that changes in human capital did not contribute to the slowdown, since women's relative human capital improved comparably in the two decades. Occupational upgrading and deunionization had a larger positive effect on women's relative wages in the 1980s, explaining a portion of the slower 1990s convergence. However, the largest factor was that the "unexplained" gender wage gap fell much faster in the 1980s than the 1990s. Our evidence suggests that changes in labor force selectivity, changes in gender differences in unmeasured characteristics and in labor market discrimination, as well as changes in the favorableness of demand shifts each may have contributed to the slowing convergence of the unexplained gender pay gap.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Country profiles provide information on HIV/AIDS and the world of work (including labour force statistics, policy and legislation, examples of workplace action and practical resources) and basic data on the epidemic. Fifteen to start with - more to follow. This feature is accessible by clicking on the roll-down menu at the left. The profiles link to new pages providing details of project activities, including reports of national mapping exercises.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Regional and state unemployment rates were generally up slightly inFebruary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Laborreported today. Thirty-three states recorded rate increases over themonth, 11 states and the District of Columbia experienced rate decreases,and 6 states had no changes in their rates. Over the year, jobless rateswere down in 39 states and the District of Columbia, up in 8 states, andunchanged in 3 states. The national unemployment rate, 4.8 percent inFebruary, was little changed from that of January but was down by 0.6percentage point from a year earlier.

Nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and the District ofColumbia over the month and decreased in 9 states. The largest employmentgains occurred in California (+31,100), Texas (+25,400), Florida (+22,900),Arizona (+16,200), Washington (+13,800), and North Carolina (+13,000).Idaho and Kansas reported the largest over-the-month percentage increasesin employment (+0.9 percent each), followed by Montana (+0.8 percent) andHawaii and Louisiana (+0.7 percent each). The largest employment decreaseswere reported in Michigan (-9,400), Virginia (-2,400), Kentucky (-2,200),Ohio (-2,000), Nebraska (-1,800), and New Hampshire (-1,600). The largestover-the-month percentage losses in employment occurred in New Hampshire(-0.3 percent), Michigan and Nebraska (-0.2 percent each), and Kentucky,North Dakota, Vermont, and Virginia (-0.1 percent each). Over the year,nonfarm employment increased in 48 states and the District of Columbia anddecreased in 2 states (Louisiana and Michigan). The largest percentagegains were reported in Nevada (+6.1 percent), Idaho (+5.3 percent), Arizona(+5.2 percent), and Utah (+4.0 percent).

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

The State Government Tax Collections (STC) report provides a summary of taxes collected by state for up to 25 tax categories. These tables and data files present the details on tax collections by type of tax imposed and collected by state governments.

According to data from the 2005 Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections, taxes on individual income were $221 billion, up 12.6 percent; and general sales taxes were $212 billion, up 7.2 percent. These taxes made up more than two-thirds of all state tax collections.

Nationally, per capita taxes collected by states averaged $2,192. Among individual states, per capita taxes were highest in Vermont, $3,600; followed by Hawaii, $3,478; Wyoming, $3,418; Connecticut, $3,300; and Delaware, $3,229. The lowest per capita tax collections were in South Dakota, $1,430; Texas, $1,434; New Hampshire, $1,544; Colorado, $1,640; and Missouri, $1,645.

Among other major taxes, corporation net income taxes increased 28 percent, followed by documentary and stock transfer taxes, 27.4 percent, and severance taxes, 26.4 percent._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

Real gross domestic product -- the output of goods and services produced by labor and propertylocated in the United States -- increased at an annual rate of 1.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2005,according to final estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the third quarter, realGDP increased 4.1 percent.

The GDP estimates released today are based on more complete source data than were available forthe preliminary estimates issued last month. In the preliminary estimates, the increase in real GDP was1.6 percent (see "Revisions" on page 3).

The increase in real GDP in the fourth quarter primarily reflected positive contributions fromprivate inventory investment, personal consumption expenditures (PCE), exports, equipment andsoftware, and residential fixed investment that were partly offset by a negative contribution from federalgovernment spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

The deceleration in real GDP growth in the fourth quarter primarily reflected a deceleration inPCE, an acceleration in imports, a downturn in federal government spending, and decelerations inequipment and software and in residential fixed investment that were partly offset by an upturn ininventory investment and an acceleration in exports.

Final sales of computers contributed 0.33 percentage point to the fourth-quarter growth in realGDP after contributing 0.16 percentage point to the third-quarter growth. Motor vehicle outputsubtracted 0.64 percentage point from the fourth-quarter growth in real GDP after contributing 0.56percentage point to the third-quarter growth.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

29/03/2006 - Belgium, Germany and Hungary impose the highest taxes among OECD countries on the pay of a single person on average earnings, while Korea, Mexico and New Zealand take the least, according to the latest edition of the OECD's annual publication Taxing Wages.

For a single-earner married couple with two children on average earnings, by contrast, Turkey, Sweden and Poland impose the biggest 'tax wedge', while Ireland, Iceland and the United States take the smallest slice in tax. Taxing Wages compares the shares of employee earnings taken by governments in OECD countries through taxation by calculating what it calls the 'tax wedge', the difference between labour costs to the employer and the net take-home pay of the employee, including any cash benefits from government welfare programmes.

In 2005, single individuals without children earning the average wage in services and manufacturing industries faced a tax wedge of 55.4% of the cost of their labour to their employers in Belgium, 51.8% in Germany and 50.5% in Hungary, compared with 17.3% in Korea, 18.2% in Mexico and 20.5% in New Zealand. The average for OECD countries was 37.3%.See Table 1.http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/50/41/36371703.pdf

For a one-earner married couple with two children on average earnings, the tax wedge ranged from 42.7% in Turkey, 42.4% in Sweden and 42.1% in Poland to 11.9% in the United States, 11% in Iceland and 8.1 % in Ireland. The average for OECD countries was 27.7%.See Table 2http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/50/39/36371872.pdf

These tax wedges result from the combined effects of a range of policy instruments at the disposal of governments: personal income tax, employee and employer social security contributions, payroll taxes and cash benefits. Variations in their levels reflect the differing priorities of governments and voters in different countries with respect to the desired level, composition and financing method of government expenses, including social benefits.

Tax wedges have shrunk over the past few years in most OECD countries, partly reflecting governments' desire to get more people into work so as to offset the effects on output and prosperity of ageing populations. However, these tax cuts have been limited by the need to maintain sufficient government revenues. In 2000, the average tax wedge for single persons without children was 37.9%, with Belgium at the top end of the range, with 57.1%, and Korea and Mexico at the bottom end, with 16.4% and 16.8% respectively.

Some countries have focused their tax wedge reductions on lower paid workers, as this is the group that often experiences particularly high unemployment rates.Table 3http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/50/38/36371880.pdfshows that the reductions in the tax wedge for single workers earning two-thirds of the average wage have fallen particularly sharply since 2000 in France (47.4% to 41.4%), Hungary (48.5% to 42.9%) and the Slovak Republic (40.6% to 35.3%)._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

[excerpt]Using data from the National Compensation Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produced occupational "pay relatives" to facilitate comparisons of occupational pay between metropolitan areas and the United States as a whole. Pay relatives for 2004 have been prepared for each of nine major occupational groups within 78 Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), as well as averaged across all occupations for each area. The pay relatives averaged for workers in all occupations in San Francisco and Brownsville were, respectively, the highest and lowest among the 78 areas. These data were first published in a news release entitled Occupational Pay Relatives, 2004 (USDL 05-2382, U.S. Department of Labor, December 28, 2005). BLS plans to publish new data on pay relatives annually.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

This report presents data from the 2001 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) on how long people remained unemployed during each of the times (spells) they experienced unemployment. The data cover the period of January 2001 through December 2003. The table in the appendix displays the detailed statistical data analyzed in this report._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

[excerpt]China's economy continues to be a concern to U.S. policymakers. On the one hand, China's economic growth presents huge opportunities for U.S. exporters. On the other hand, the surge in Chinese exports to the United States has put competitive pressures on various U.S. industries. Many U.S. policymakers have argued that greater efforts should be made to pressure China to fully implement its WTO commitments (especially in terms of protecting U.S. intellectual property rights) and change various economic policies deemed harmful to U.S. economic interests, such as its currency policy and its use of subsidies to support its state-owned firms. In addition, recent bids by Chinese state-owned firms to purchase various U.S. firms have raised concerns among Members over the impact such acquisitions could have on U.S. national and economic security.

[excerpt]In response to international pressure over its policy of pegging its currency (the yuan) to the U.S. dollar, the Chinese government on July 21, 2005, announced it would immediately appreciate the yuan to the dollar by 2.1% and adopt a currency policy based on a basket of currencies (including the dollar). Many Members have long charged that China "manipulates" its currency in order to make its exports cheaper and imports into China more expensive than they would be under free market conditions. They further contend that this policy is responsible for the large and growing U.S. trade deficits with China and the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs. China's July 2005 reforms have donelittle to lessen congressional concerns. Several bills addressing China's currency have been introduced in Congress, including S. 295, which would raise U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods by an additional 27.5% unless China appreciated its currency. This report summarizes the main findings CRS Report RL32165, China's Exchange Rate Peg: Economic Issues and Options for U.S. Trade Policy, and will be updated as events warrant._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

(The following is courtesy of the Centre for Industrial Relations, University of Toronto).

Weekly Work Report for the Week of March 27, 2006

----------ONTARIO CONSULTATION TARGETS THE UNDERGROUND ECONOMY IN CONSTRUCTION : On March 28, Ontario's Labour Minister announced a proposal to amend the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997 to force independent operators, sole proprietors , partners and executive officers in the construction sector to participate in the workplace safety and insurance system. As stated in the government consultation paper on the topic, the purpose of the amendments is less to improve safety standards and more to combat the growth the underground economy. The proposed amendments flow from a recommendation in the March 2004 report, Attacking the underground economy in the ICI Sector of Ontario's Construction Industry, by Tim Armstrong and John O'Grady, and commissioned by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS). The Ministry's Consultation paper poses 27 questions to focus the discussion; responses will be accepted by mail, email or fax to the Ministry of Labour until by June 30, 2006.

----------ONTARIO'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISPUTE GOES TO ARBITRATION: Ontario's 150,000 community college students returned to their classrooms on March 28, after the Colleges Compensation and Appointments Council and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union agreed to a return-to-work protocol and to the appointment of William Kaplan as an arbitrator of their labour dispute. The parties remain opposed over workload, class sizes and salary, and have characterized the strike as one over educational quality. The strike has been marred by bitter public statements, and most importantly, by the death of John Stammers, an instructor at Centennial College in Toronto, who was struck by a car while picketing.

----------NEW UNION ORGANIZING IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY: The United Food and Commercial Workers announced on March 22 that UFCW Canada Local 421 has been created as a home for " new members from all aspects of the entertainment industry." The UFCW local intends to work toward a hiring hall system for technicians, as well as an apprenticeship and certification program. Some other unions in the entertainment sector include ACTRA (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists), which in April 2005 announced a strategic alliance with the United Steelworkers " to take on the globalization of the culture industry and to address a range of common issues" , the Canadian Actors Equity Association, and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Motion Picture Technicians Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE).

----------CAW EXECUTIVE BOARD URGES SPLIT WITH NDP: On March 21st the National Executive Board of the Canadian Autoworkers adopted a resolution calling for the CAW leadership, members, locals, and staff to withdraw support from the New Democratic Party. According to the CAW press release, the resolution was prompted by the expulsion of Buzz Hargrove from the Ontario New Democratic Party, which the union sees as "an outright attack on the ability of organizations affiliated to the party to take independent political action in the interests of their members and the broader community." This NEB resolution is not binding and will be debated at a council meeting in April. At that time it could become official CAW policy.

----------IVEY BUSINESS JOURNAL THEME: THE ENGAGED WORKPLACE: The March/April 2006 issue of the Ivey Business Journal offers five articles on the theme of The Engaged Workplace. In addition, Edward Lawler III and Christopher G. Worley provide an article titled Winning support for organizational change. Other contents: an interview with Rosabeth Moss Kantor in which she reflects on her 30 year career and the subject of corporate leadership.

----------PERSONAL INTERNET USE AT WORK: A survey released on March 22 by the U.S. recruitment consultants Hudson shows that 23 % of U.S. workers who use a computer at work admit to having searched for a new job at work, and 12% surf the internet for personal reasons often at work. 30% send and receive personal e-mails at work often, and a further 28% do so occasionally. The Hudson Internet Use Survey is based on a national poll of 2,694 U.S. workers who use computers at work conducted March 11-13, 2006. Data is broken down by employer type, company size, managerial status, gender, age and race.

----------MORE RESOURCES FOR PANDEMIC PREPARATION: Several organizations have developed websites devoted to the issue of pandemic flu, such as avian flu. Mercer Human Resource Consulting has a new website with information specific to the workplace, including a survey released on March 27, Avian Flu Pandemic Preparedness' Global Survey Report and a White Paper entitled The Emerging Global Pandemic: Human Resource Implications.

On March 28, Health Canada announced a Pandemic Influenza portal which brings together information from across the Government of Canada's departments and agencies , including the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada and the World Health Organizaiton. The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board also has a website containing resources specific to the workplace.

----------BOOMER RETIREMENT TRENDS: A new study by Statistics Canada looks at the retirement intentions of Canadians. The report, titled New Frontiers of Research on Retirement, focuses on four trends: gender difference in retirement patterns, joint retirement decisions of couples, maintaining a standard of living in retirement and flexible retirement. The Conference Board of Canada has also recently published a a brief overview of the issues related to the aging workforce, titled Canada's Demographic Revolution: Adjusting to an Aging Population.

----------GENERAL MOTORS LAYS OFF U.S. WORKERS: General Motors made two major restructuring announcements in the past week: on March 22, it announced it would offer voluntary buyout packages to approximately 100,000 hourly workers of GM and an additional 13,000 hourly workers at auto parts subsidiary Delphi. The amounts of the buyouts range from between $35,000 and $140,000, depending on the employee's tenure. Delphi filed for bankruptcy in October and is currently negotiating with the United Auto Workers to reach a new contact by March 30. On March 28 , GM announced approximately 500 additional layoffs of salaried workers at 30 locations across the United States.

----------POST SECONDARY EDUCATION PAYS: On average, workers who participated in adult education and obtained a post-secondary certificate made significant gains in wages and earnings, according to a new study released by Statistics Canada on March 24. The study documented participation patterns in adult education among workers during two periods: 1994 to 1997, and 1997 to 2000, using data from the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics. It also examined the impact of adult education on hourly wages and annual earnings, taking into account factors such as union status, occupation, firm size, industry and province.

The authors present a comprehensive overview of the current law on sexual harassment in North America and provide a practical guide with step-by-step procedures for resolving harassment complaints in the workplace. They also provide a roadmap for employers to prevent such conduct and to respond effectively when it does manifest itself.

About the Authors:

Arjun P.Aggarwal is the author of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Butterworths 3rd ed. 2000), Sexual Harassment - A Guide for Understanding and Prevention (Butterworths 1992) Sex Discrimination: Employment Law and Practices (Butterworths1994).

Madhu M. Gupta resides in Chicago,Illinois, where she practiced with the law firm of Chapman and Cutler. She is co-author of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace (Butterworths 3rd ed. 2000).

----------These highlights of the week's HR/IR news are prepared by the Librarians at the Centre for Industrial Relations for our subscribers, alumni, faculty and students, and are intended for their individual use only. Please visit the CIR website for terms of use and information about organizational subscriptions. This message is composed in MS Outlook Express and contains hyperlinks that require an HTML-enabled email program.

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_____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

The OECD Factbook is an essential tool providing a global overview of world economic, social and environmental trends. It brings together in a single publication 100 indicators that are essential for evaluating the relative position of any OECD country, both at a given moment and over time, in the following fields : * Population and migration * Macroeconomic trends * Economic globalisation * Prices * Labour market * Science and technology * Environment * Education * Public policies * Quality of life * and a special chapter dedicated to Globalisation

The 2006 edition presents many new features, including indicators on the "brain drain," Tsunami recovery, aid, and cultural and leisure activities. It also includes data on key non-OECD member countries, namely Brazil, China, India, The Russian Federation and South Africa.

The 100 indicators are all presented as a double page spread. On the left page, you will find systematic definitions of the indicators used, comment on the extent of comparability of data from national sources, and a guide to other statistical and analytic publications from the OECD. These texts are essential to understand where the data come from and how they can be used.

On the right page, the indicators are presented with clear tables and graphs. Under each table and graph, a StatLink enables any reader to immediately download the original data in Excel format. This new function is the ultimate mix of print and online access to statistical information and allows readers to directly insert original OECD data into other documents.

The OECD Factbook has become a key reference for anyone interested to know "where we are" and "where we are going" in terms of social, economic and environmental development. It is at the same time user-friendly, comprehensive and reliable. We invite you to discover more in browsing through sample pages from the 2006 edition: the full table of contents , the analytical index , and sample indicators. All the ordering information is also available from this site.

The OECD Factbook is available online as part of SourceOECD, the service which delivers online OECD books, periodicals and statistical databases. The OECD Factbook 2006 will also available in French from June 2006._____________________________This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.